Scoop shovel

ABSTRACT

A scoop shovel having a fabric bottom and sides supported above ground by a frame constructed to facilitate movement of the scoop shovel in all directions.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Axel Lbslkers 917 Paxford Place, Mansfield, Ohio 44906 [21 I Applv No. 756,198 [22] Filed Aug. 29, 1968 [45] Patented June 8, 1971 [54] SCOOP SHOVEL 11 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 294/54 [51] Int. Cl. E01h 5/02 [50] Field of Search 294/54, 55

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 308,910 12/1884 Locke 294/55 860,746 7/1907 Hoffman 294/55 990,898 5/1911 Orcutt 294/54 Meyer Harrison Holombo Fisher 2/1963 Neuman 4/1968 Lissakers FOREIGN PATENTS 5/1953 France 3/1956 Germany 7/1962 Great Britain Primary Examiner-Harvey C. l-lomsby Assistant ExaminerW. Scott Carson Attorney0berlin, Maky, Donnelly and Renner 294/55X 294/54X 294/54 294/55X 294/54X 294/54 ABSTRACT: A scoop shovel having a fabric bottom and sides supported above ground by a frame constructed to facilitate movement of the scoop shovel in all directions.

PATENTEUJUN 8|97| 3583746 INVENTOR AXEL L ISSAKERS .www g M ATTQRNEYS SCOOP SMOVEL SUMMARY OF THE lNVENTlON This invention relates generally as indicated to a scoop shovel and more particularly to certain improvements in scoop shovels of the type shown, for example, in my own U.S. Pat. No. 3,380,772, granted Apr. 30, 1968.

The scoop shovel shown and described in my aforementioned patent has proven to be very effective in handling and removing large quantities of snow and the like with a minimum amount of effort. However, it has been found that by making the bottom and sides of the scoop shovel of a suitable fabric rather than metal, the fabricating costs can be significantly reduced and the chances of denting or poking holes in the bottom by sharp objects are substantially eliminated, which are principal objects of the present invention.

As a further consequence of using fabric for the bottom and sides, the scoop shovel can be made lighter without sacrificing strength, which is a further object of this invention.

Yet another object is to provide such a scoop shovel in which the bottom and sides are supported above ground by a frame which is adapted to permit ready movement of the scoop shovel in all directions.

Another object is to provide a scoop shovel of the type described with a metal plate at its forward end to which the fabric is secured with a metal strip therebetween adapted to be deflected to protect the fabric from being cut by the back edge of the plate when the scoop shovel is pulled over a sharp object or the like.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the following description proceedsv To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and the annexed drawing setting forth in detail a certain illustrative embodiment of the invention, this being indicative, however, of but one of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed.

BRIEF DESCRlPTlON OF THE DRAWlNG In the annexed drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred form of scoop shovel constructed in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side elevation view of the scoop shovel of F l6. 1 as seen from the left side thereof;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal section through the forward end of the scoop shovel, taken on the plane of the line 3-3 of HO. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged transverse section through the left side of the scoop shovel of F lG. ll, taken on the plane of the line M thereof;

H0. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary section through the back wall of the scoop shovel, taken on the plane of the line 5-5 of HO. 1; and

H6. 6 is a partial enlargement of the forward end of the scoop shovel of E10. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now in detail to the drawing and first especially to FIGS. 1 and 2, the scoop shovel l illustrated herein by way of example includes a body portion 2 having a substantially flat bottom 3 and a gradually upwardly sloping backwall 4, with sides 5 and 6 that gradually increase in vertical height from adjacent the forward end 7 of the scoop shovel l to the backwall 4, much like the scoop shovel shown in my aforementioned Pat. No. 3,380,772. However, the bottom 3, backwall 4, and sides 5 and 6, rather than being made of metal, are of a suitable canvas or fabric material, preferably nylon web impregnated with neoprene, suitably supported by a tubular frame 10.

As evident from the drawing, such tubular frame 10 generally consists of a unitary upper tubular member 11 bent into a general U-shape, with the upper edges of the backwall 4 and sides 5 and 6 cemented or otherwise secured thereto, and lower tubular members 12 and 13 which extend downwardly along the side edges of the backwall 4 and forwardly beneath the bottom 3 to the forward end 7 where the ends of the upper tubular member 11 and lower tubular members 12 and 13 are flattened and contact each other, such upper tubular member 11 and lower tubular members 12 and 13 being welded or otherwise suitably secured together adjacent the forward end 7 and back edge 16 to provide a rigid structure. The backwall 4 and bottom 3 are desirably formed from a single piece of fabric cemented to the lower tubular members 12 and 13 along their side edges, whereas the sides 5 and 6 are separate pieces of fabric having their upper edges cemented to the upper tubular member 11 as aforesaid and their lower edges cemented to the backwall 4 and bottom 3 inwardly of such upper edges to provide inwardly sloping sides from the upper edge toward the lower edge, for a purpose to be explained hereafter.

For manipulating the scoop shovel 1, there is provided a handle 20 desirably of an inverted U'shape configuration for increased strength which may conveniently be formed by making the lower tubular members 12 and 13 from a single piece of bent tubing so that the handle is a unitary extension of the lower tubular members with the bend extending sufficiently above the backwall 4 to provide a handle of the desired height. Reinforcing plates 21 may be spot welded to the handle 20 and upper tubular member 11 at their juncture for increased rigidity. Moreover, the weld connections between the upper tubular member 11 and handle 20 are desirably as high as practicable for improved strength.

To facilitate movement of the scoop shovel 1 along the ground, the lower tubular members 12 and 13 are desirably bowed upwardly intermediate the length of the fabric bottom 3 thus to maintain the bottom 3 out of engagement with the ground and reduce the contact area between the scoop shovel and ground to a minimum. Steel runners 22 having their ends bent upwardly to conform to the curvature of the lower tubular members where they are riveted or otherwise secured thereto permit ready sliding movement in opposite directions over snow and other surfaces. The edges 23 of the runners 22 may be turned up slightly to facilitate sideward movement of the scoop shovel.

The center of gravity of the scoop shovel 1, whether empty or fully loaded, is such that the scoop shovel 1 will rest on the steel runners 22 and forward end 7 except when a downward force is applied to the handle 20 in a manner to be subsequently explained. Accordingly, forward movement of the scoop shovel 1 along the ground may be accomplished by a simple pushing force applied to the handle 20. To protect the fabric against damage by sharp objects during such forward movement and also permit cutting under snow and the like, a metal plate 24 is provided across the entire width of the scoop shovel 1 at the forward end 7 where it is attached to the mating ends of the upper tubular member 11 and lower tubular members 12 and 13 by welding. As best seen in FIG. 3, the metal plate 24 has a transverse bend 25 intermediate its ends to provide a clearance between the fabric bottom 3 which is cemented thereto and the ground. The curvature of the bend 25 also acts as a reinforcement for the metal plate, and permits ready sliding of the metal plate 24 over objects when the scoop shovel 1 is pulled back.

The fabric bottom 3 may be protected from being out against the rear edge 26 of the metal plate 24 when the scoop shovel is pulled over a sharp object such as a stone or step comer by cementing a narrow steel strap 27 approximately 0.025 inches by one-half inch between the fabric bottom 3 and an additional strip 28 of fabric so that an edge of the steel strap 27 overlaps the rear edge 26 as shown in FlGS. 3 and 6. Accordingly, when the steel strap 27 is engaged by an object it will be deflected over the rear edge 26 and cause the object to slide therepast.

A top plate 30 may be welded to the metal plate 241 between the tubular members ll, 12, and E3 to protect the edge of the fabric bottom which overlies the metal plate 24 from being damaged and permit raking of leaves and other objects into the scoop shovel without hanging up on the edge of the fabric bottom.

To use the scoop shovel l for snow removal and the like, the operator need only apply a pushing force to the handle 20 as aforesaid to cause the same to glide along the ground on the steel runners 22 with the metal plate 24 engaging the ground for cutting under the snow and depositing the snow in the scoop shovel. Subsequent dumping of the snow may be accomplished by a simple lifting of the handle to cause the snow to discharge forwardly by gravity. Should the snow be too high along the shoveled area for direct dumping, the handle 20 may be pushed downwardly to raise the forward end of the scoop shovel so that it may be pushed up over the snow bank and then dumped. Alternatively, the scoop shovel may be readily pulled to a more convenient place and dumped. The upwardly turned ends of the runners 22 prevent possible hang up of the runners by engagement with a crack in the walk being shoveled or object on the ground, whether the scoop shovel is pulled or pushed. Sideward discharge of the contents of the shovel may also be accomplished by lifting the handle from one side or the other to cause the snow to slide by gravity down one or the other of the sloping sides and 6.

Although the dimensions of the scoop shovel are not critical, quite satisfactory results have been obtained with a body portion having an overall length from the back edge 16 to the front end 7 of approximately 39 inches, a width at the back edge 16 of approximately 28% inches and at the front end of approximately 29% inches, and a vertical height at the back edge of approximately inches. The vertical height of the handle from ground level to the top of the bent portion is desirably approximately 32 inches. The tubular members Ill, 12, and 13 are desirably constructed of steel, but aluminum or other such metal may also be used if desired.

The upper tubular member 11, although generally U-shaped as aforesaid, desirably has its sides 32 and 33 bowed slightly outwardly and downwardly to provide a more pleasing appearance and also support the handle firmly but with some give to reduce the risk of breaking the handle at the juncture with the upper tubular member in the event that the shovel engagesa hard stop. The amount of downward bowing of the sides 32 and 33 is desirably approximately 1% inches, whereas the lower tubular members 12 and 13 are desirably bowed upwardly approximately three-eighths inch. The steel runners 22 may be formed of approximately one-sixteenth inch by 2 inches by 16 /2 inches hard steel and curved at their ends to provide a clearance with the ground of approximately threesixteenths inch at the forward end and approximately We at the rear end.

From the foregoing, it will now be seen that the scoop shovel of the present invention is less costly to fabricate than those in which the body portion is substantially all metal, since fabric is cheaper than metal and need not be formed. Moreover, the fabric material will readily yield if engaged by a hard object, whereas metals and particularly aluminum will kink and rupture. Moreover, the chance of the fabric body portion of the scoop shovel disclosed herein engaging an object is lessened because of the manner in which it is supported by the lower tubular members above the ground.

Another advantage in constructing the body portion of fabric except for the tubular frame is that it is lighter than metal, thereby reducing the overall weight of the scoop shovel, and without sacrificing strength. To the contrary, the strength is enhanced because of the superior strength of the tubular frame construction and the unitary handle configuration, as well as the high-connecting point between the handle and upper tubular member, and the bowed configuration of the upper tubular member better absorbs shock loads in the event that the scoop shovel engages a hard stop. Snow and other objects such as leaves, twigs, and cut grass will also not stick to the fabric material, which is a still further advantage.

lclai l. A Scoop shovel comprising a body portion having a fabric bottom, sides, and back, and tubular frame means for supporting said body portion out of contact with the ground, said tubular frame means comprising an upper tubular member of general U-shape and a pair oflower tubular members having a downwardly sloping portion and a forwardly extending portion, said upper tubular member being attached to said lower tubular members at opposite ends, said lower tubular members being bowed upwardly intermediate the length of said bottom to maintain said bottom out of contact with the ground, and runners attached to said lower tubular members, said runners having their ends bent upwardly to conform to the configuration of said lower tubular members to facilitate pushing and pulling of said scoop shovel without being hung up on objects.

2. The scoop shovel of claim 1, wherein the edges of said runners are turned up to facilitate sideward movement of said scoop shovel.

3. The scoop shovel of claim 1, wherein the sides of said body portion inwardly toward said bottom.

4. The scoop shovel of claim 1, further comprising a metal plate secured to the forward end of said body portion, said metal plate having a transverse bend intermediate its ends to provide a clearance between the rear edge of said metal plate and the ground, said bottom being attached to the upper side of said rear edge.

5. A scoop shovel comprising a body portion having a fabric bottom, sides, and back, tubular frame means for supporting said body portion out of contact with the ground, a metal plate secured to the forward end of said body portion, said metal plate having a transverse bend intermediate its ends to provide a clearance between the rear edge of said metal plate and the ground, said bottom being attached to the upper side of said rear edge, a fabric strip attached to the lower side of said rear edge and to said bottom, and a narrow metal strap attached between said bottom and fabric strip with an edge of said metal strap overlying the rear edge of said metal plate for deflection of said metal strap over said rear edge to protect said bottom from being cut by said rear edge when the scoop shovel is pulled over an object.

6. A scoop shovel comprising a body portion having a fabric bottom, sides, and back, tubular frame means for supporting said body portion out of contact with the ground, said tubular frame means consisting of a unitary upper tubular member of general U-shape and a pair of lower tubular members having a downwardly sloping portion and a forwardly extending portion, said lower tubular members having one end attached to the respective free ends of said upper tubular member and the other end attached to the cross portion of the U-shape upper tubular member, and a handle for manipulating said body portion, said handle being of an inverted U-shape configuration and extending upwardly from said frame means above said back to the desired height, the sides of said upper tubular member being bowed outwardly and downwardly to absorb shock.

7. The scoop shovel of claim 6, wherein said handle forms a unitary extension of said lower tubular members.

8. The scoop shovel of claim 6, wherein the upper edges of said back and sides are secured to said upper tubular member, the side edges of said back and bottom are secured to said lower tubular members, and the lower edges of said sides are secured to said bottom.

9. The scoop shovel of claim 6, wherein the sides of said body portion shape inwardly toward said bottom.

10. The scoop shovel of claim 6, further comprising a metal plate secured to the forward end of said body portion, said metal plate having a transverse bend intermediate its ends to provide a clearance between the rear edge of said metal plate and the ground, said bottom being attached to the upper side of said rear edge.

11. The scoop shovel of claim l0 further comprising a top plate secured to said metal plate to protect the bottom of said body portion where it overlies said metal plate. 

1. A scoop shovel comprising a body portion having a fabric bottom, sides, and back, and tubular frame means for supporting said body portion out of contact with the ground, said tubular frame means comprising an upper tubular member of general U-shape and a pair of lower tubular members having a downwardly sloping portion and a forwardly extending portion, said upper tubular member being attached to said lower tubular members at opposite ends, said lower tubular members being bowed upwardly intermediate the length of said bottom to maintain said bottom out of contact with the ground, and runners attached to said lower tubular members, said runners having their ends bent upwardly to conform to the configuration of said lower tubular members to facilitate pushing and pulling of said scoop shovel without being hung up on objects.
 2. The scoop shovel of claim 1, wherein the edges of said runners are turned up to facilitate sideward movement of said scoop shovel.
 3. The scoop shovel of claim 1, wherein the sides of said body portion inwardly toward said bottom.
 4. The scoop shovel of claim 1, further comprising a metal plate secured to the forward end of said body portion, said metal plate having a transverse bend intermediate its ends to provide a clearance between the rear edge of said metal plate and the ground, said bottom being attached to the upper side of said rear edge.
 5. A scoop shovel comprising a body portion having a fabric bottom, sides, and back, tubular frame means for supporting said body portion out of contact with the ground, a metal plate secured to the forward end of said body portion, said metal plate having a transverse bend intermediate its ends to provide a clearance between the rear edge of said metal plate and the ground, said bottom being attached to the upper side of said rear edge, a fabric strip attached to the lower side of said rear edge and to said bottom, and a narrow metal strap attached between said bottom and fabric strip with an edge of said metal strap overlying the rear edge of said metal plate for deflection of said metal strap over said rear edge to protect said bottom from being cut by said rear edge when the scoop shovel is pulled over an object.
 6. A scoop shovel comprising a body portion having a fabric bottom, sides, and back, tubular frame means for supporting said body portion out of contact with the ground, said tubular frame means consisting of a unitary upper tubular member of general U-shape and a pair of lower tubular members having a downwardly sloping portion and a forwardly extending portion, said lower tubular members having one end attached to the respective free ends of said upper tubular member and the other end attached to the cross portion of the U-shape upper tubular member, and a handle for manipulating said body portion, said handle being of an inverted U-shape configuratIon and extending upwardly from said frame means above said back to the desired height, the sides of said upper tubular member being bowed outwardly and downwardly to absorb shock.
 7. The scoop shovel of claim 6, wherein said handle forms a unitary extension of said lower tubular members.
 8. The scoop shovel of claim 6, wherein the upper edges of said back and sides are secured to said upper tubular member, the side edges of said back and bottom are secured to said lower tubular members, and the lower edges of said sides are secured to said bottom.
 9. The scoop shovel of claim 6, wherein the sides of said body portion shape inwardly toward said bottom.
 10. The scoop shovel of claim 6, further comprising a metal plate secured to the forward end of said body portion, said metal plate having a transverse bend intermediate its ends to provide a clearance between the rear edge of said metal plate and the ground, said bottom being attached to the upper side of said rear edge.
 11. The scoop shovel of claim 10 further comprising a top plate secured to said metal plate to protect the bottom of said body portion where it overlies said metal plate. 